History of Newton, Utah

Clarkston, Cache County, Utah, is located about seven miles
northwest of Newton. The location of Clarkston on a some what east north
slope, and in the path of west and north winds, seems to be favorable
for a cool climate and deep snows in the winter and a rather late
Spring. The pioneers of Clarkston noticed that the land two miles east
and approximately four miles south, was always clear of snow earlier in
the spring, and that on some of the bench lands east of the present town
of Newton, grass for feeding animals was available two and three weeks
earlier, in the Spring, than it was in Clarkston.

In 1869 some of the settlers of Clarkston moved to a brushless grassy
flat five miles southeast and called it New Town. Naturally, after the
move there was a division among the people over the use of the water in
the Clarkston Creek. Those who had moved insisted that the new location
be Clarkston, while those who remained at Clarkston insisted that the
original place remain as Clarkston. The controversy became so intense
that President Brigham Young was asked to come and settle the
difficulty.

In 1870 President Young held meetings in both places and decided that
those who desired to remain at Clarkston do so and that those who
desired to remain at the New Town do so and it receive a new name. This
settled the controversy and the New Town was named Newton for short.

The people who remained at Clarkston and those who moved to Newton
retained their water rights in the Clarkston Creek. The people living in
Newton only had one fourth interest in the Clarkston Creek. After the
water interests in the creek at Clarkston were used it did not heave
much for Newton as it was a long distance for such a small stream and
their was considerable loss in evaporation and seepage especially in dry
years.

There was always a serious shortage of water in Newton until they
constructed a dam to make a storage basin. The year 1870 was a dry and
trying year for the people of Newton. The small amount of water in the
Clarkston Creek sank out of sight before it reached Newton. There were
no crops or gardens. The people became discouraged and some threatened
to move away.

The following related incident shows to what extremes the people were
put to obtain a living. In the fall of 1870 there was little if any seed
wheat for the next season. Bishop William F. Rigby, John Jenkins and
John Christensen arranged to borrow 600 bushels of wheat from James
Quayle of Logan. They gave a mortgage on the land south of town known as
the south field. The interest was on peck of wheat on the bushel. It
took three or four years to pay back this wheat with the interest. These
men did a real service for the community in getting seed wheat and wheat
for flour to met urgent necessities.

More irrigation water was an absolute necessity. President Brigham
Young had recommended a site for a reservoir east of Clarkston and North
of Newton on the Clarkston Creek. A public meeting was held in March
1871, at which the settlers voted to build a reservoir. It was necessary
to place a dam across the hollow in which the Clarkston Creek flowed
toward Newton.

The committee for studying and looking after the construction of the
dam was composed of Bishop William F. Rigby, Franklin W. Young, Stephen
Catt, Swen Jacobsen and John Jenkins. There were some skeptics who said
the dam would not amount to much. Generally, however, the people went to
work with a strong determination to succeed. It took much hard labor
with limited equipment.

Work was continued on the dam every year for a number of years.
During the first few years of construction, the dam broke two or three
times and let all of the water our. It left the people without
sufficient irrigation water and the crops were light. The wheat was
shrunk. People had to depend on the reserves, when such existed. Some
had to go away to work. Some became discouraged and moved away never to
return.

At this point it might be well to give a few more specific facts, to
show how the development of such a pioneer project required persistence,
patience and toil.

The Clarkston Irrigation District was organized December 8, 1847. In
the previous years, 1870-’71-’72 and ‘73 committees had been appointed,
sites chosen and work commenced on a dam.

After construction of the dam considerable difficulty was experienced
in preventing the dam from washing on the water side of the dam. To
prevent this part of the surface was riprapped with rock. The best
success, however, was obtained by nailing slabs four feet long
vertically on a one-pole fence. The lower end of the slabs was in the
mud and water.

The dam washed out in 1877 but was repaired in 1880. During a thaw,
when the dam was threatened, a ditch was dug over the natural site,
where a grass sod seemed favorable to prevent washing. This was not
strong enough however and the dam washed out again.

After the dam had been repaired it became known as the "Little Dam"
and the original dam on the east was called the "Big Dam". The small dam
was enlarged in 1884.

In the Spring of 1888, a plank on the upper end of the flume went
out. It could not be stopped as it was a very large flume. Tons of
sacked dirt was lowered into the whirlpool bansed, but with no effect in
stopping the break and washing.

In 1890 the company was incorporated at $10,000 with an equal number
of shares at par value of $1.00. Officers were Peter Larsen, president;
John Griffin, vice president; William L. Jensen, secretary; Amos Clarke,
treasurer, and James Parsons.

The same year, 1890, another reservoir was begun about a mile below
in the creek at what is known as the Funk Site. A natural dam crossed
the main part of the creek on the east, and a great amount of dirt was
filled in on the west side of the site. After inspecting the dam in
1892, Dr. Fortier, and engineer from the U.S.A.C., and his pupil, T.H.
Humphreys, suggested raising the original dam. In 1897 the dam was
raised to hold three more feet of water. A spillway was also built but
proved unserviceable.

As years went by other improvements were made; difficulties and
troubles encounter and met; other sites were surveyed. During these
years the people of Newton became conscious of the fact that water was
of paramount importance in future development of the community, and that
steps must be taken to make more permanent the facilities of storage and
distribution of irrigation water. The people gradually came to realize
that one of the most valuable natural resources was, to a large degree,
being allowed to go down the river each year because of inadequate
storage facilities to impound early spring run-off.

To show how long a period this "Water Consciousness was in the
making; and what efforts were put forth from time to time; and the final
results of persistent and cooperative effort, the following brief notes
are given, taken from minutes of Newton Irrigation Co., books.

JANUARY 28, 1903, Meeting with Clarkston Irrigation Board on
problem of sharing of water flow of the Clarkston Creel.

Meetings at this time were begun with prayer.

Meeting was held in the Newton Tithing Office

Newton talked arbitration, Clarkston did not want arbitration.

Establishment of definite rights by law seemed to be the prevailing
sentiment of both boards.

That the problem of water rights, storage, use etc. was of paramount
importance to these early pioneers is clearly shown by the minute book.
From January 5th 1903 to November 9th 1903, sixteen meetings were held.
And this continues to a greater or less degree down thru the years.

MARCH 17, 1904, "Mr. Martineau was instructed to consult an
engineer in regard to the size and kind of flume and valve that would be
most serviceable to put in the Reservoir this fall."

NOVEMBER 13, 1905, "Moved and carried that the Pres. & Sec. be
authorized to sign the agreement for the division of water with
Clarkston, as drawn up by the attorneys for both companies."

Sample of Notice of Assessment 1904.

(The following is a clipping from a newspaper)

NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT

The Newton Irrigation Company, Principal
Place of business, Newton, Utah.Notice
is hereby given that at a meeting of the Board of Directors
held on the 20th day of September, 1904, an assessment of
then (10) cents per share was levied on the capital stock of
the corporation, payable on or before the 31st Day of
October 1904. To the Secretary and Treasurer of the
corporation at his residence in Newton, Utah. Any stock upon
which the assessment may remain unpaid on the said 31st day
of October 1904, will be delinquent and advertised for sale
at public auction, and unless payment is made before, will
be sold on the 21st day of November, 1904, at 2 o’clock p.m.
at the office of the Secretary and Treasurer, Newton, Utah,
to pay the delinquent assessment, together with the cost of advertising
and expenses of sale.W. R. Ballard,
Secretary.
Newton, Utah

November 14, 1910, "A resolution by John Larsen authorizing the
directors to engage a competent engineer to survey sites and make
estimates for the enlargement of the reservoir.

NOVEMBER 23, 1910, At a meeting of the stockholders stock was
voted on the John Larsen motion of November 14, 1910 to hire an engineer
to investigate enlargement of reservoir. 1950 shares of stock voted in
favor of motion. 220 shares of stock voted against the motion.

NOVEMBER 8, 1913, Due to increased demand for more water year by
year, the Newton Irrigation Company tried to hold as much water in the
reservoir as possible and just as late in the season as possible. This
caused some friction between the Newton Water users, and those people of
Clarkston who owned land surrounding the reservoir, because the high
water line tended to cover land farmed by the owners. To lower the level
of the reservoir, some of the land owners often pulled the boards out of
the spill-way, allowing more water to escape than the Newton people
thought was needed to maintain the water at the right level. As a result
of this constant friction each year, and because no permanent high water
line markers had been established, the Newton Irrigation Board voted on
November 8, 1913, to locate a permanent high water line all around the
reservoir and mark the same with concrete posts. Surveyor T. H.
Humphreys of Logan was engaged to make the survey and establish the high
water line points.

NOVEMBER 23, 1914, The annual meeting of the Stockholders was
held in the School House. Two questions receiving attention were
(1) "Shall we hire a man to devote all his time to head-water master’s
work?" "Many favored it." And another question of growing importance,
(2) "how shall "flood waters" be divided among stock holders, and what
policy shall be followed with respect to "flood-water" rights after the
flood season?" It was decided that anyone not using their turn during
the flood season, could not demand "flood eater" rights after the flood
season had passed, and the reservoir high water line began to go below
what had been permanently established.

NOVEMBER 13, 1916, At the annual meeting, a Stockholder Mariuc J.
Benson "Spoke on the question of building a New Reservoir. On motion the
Board was authorized to have surveys made and an estimate of costs."

NOVEMBER 12, 1917, Same motion as above was made and carried at
the annual meeting of that year.

FEBRUARY 3, 1919, At annual meeting of the Stockholders, a report
from surveyor T.H. Humphreys was read, the following paragraph is taken
from his report:

"For the purpose of this report the possibilities of increasing your
water supply will be considered under three heads as follows:

No.1 Raising the existing dams.

No.2 Constructing a dam on Newton Creek about 800 feet above the old
Funk site.

No.3 Constructing a dam on Newton Creek at the Hyrum Clarke Site,
which is situated near the Southeast Corner of Section 5, Township 13
North Range 1, West."

Mr. Humphreys also suggested pumping water out of the West Cache
Canal. This was later done for the South field area. This would not have
been good policy for since 1919, West Cache has been taxed to its limit
to supply water for land already under that canal.

Mr. Humphreys estimated, that to construct a dam as per his No. 3
proposal, would cost $160,000.00 or about $80.00 per acre irrigated.

NOVEMBER 10, 1919, At annual meeting of Stockholders, a report
from surveyor T.H. Humphreys was read. This report dealt with suggested
plans for increasing the water supply by pumping water from the West
Cache Canal or from Bear River near the head of the Bear River Canyon.

Estimated Costs "The entire cost of pump, canals etc. to put the
water into your canals as outlined would be $ 40,000.00 and the yearly
maintenance including power $12,000.00. This on a basis of 32,000 acres
(I think the report should read 3200 acres) is a construction cost of
$12.50 per acre, and a maintenance cost of $3.75 per acre per year. To these of course would have to be added
the cost of West Cache Stock, and maintenance which would perhaps double
both."

JANUARY 3, 1921, A committe appointed from the Stockholders of
the Newton Irrigation Company reported on possibilities of securing
water from the West Cache Canal.

NOVEMBER 14, 1921, At annual meeting of Stockholders, after
hearing committee reports and surveyors reports and estimates, it was
decided to drop the matter of building a pumping plant at what is known
as the "Haws Point" for the pumping of water from the West Cache Canal.

AUGUST 6, 1934, Newton Irrigation Board met with Jesse B. Barker,
a land owner, on who’s property is had been suggest an Artesian well be
sunk. It was decided to engage the services of Attorney Earnest Young,
to draw up a contact regarding the digging of the proposed artesian
well, with funds that had been appropriated by the U.S. Government thru
the Emergency Drought Relief Act. The amount appropriated was $420 and
the purpose of digging the well was to supplement the Newton Irrigation
System water supply.

JULY 15, 1936, A Stockholders meeting held for the purpose of
considering the building of a new Reservoir. It was moved and seconded
that the Board get all the information possible on prices, amount of
water, cost per acre, method of financing, etc, and call another meeting
later to make a report on findings.

AUGUST 27, 1936, Estimate of cost of building a dam. at the Hyrum
Clarke site had been mailed to all families in Newton Town and to
Stockholders, in Irrigation Company. Twenty Six persons were present at
the meeting. Estimated cost given in rough figures amounted to
$192,534.45.

DECEMBER 9, 1936, Annual meeting, 30 members present. Discussed
problems pertaining to a new Reservoir. Clarkston had asked to buy a
spring known as Little Birch Creek Spring for culinary water supply.
Newton refused to sell her share in the Spring but was welling that
Clarkston pipe the entire flow of the Spring to their catch basin at
which point Newton would pipe its share into the Newton Culinary water
system located South of Clarkston. This was agreed to by both
communities and Irrigation companies and has since been completed.

At this meeting it was moved and carried that a committee be
appointed, composed of two members from the Irrigation Company and three
members from the Newton Town, to be known as the "New Reservoir
Committee."

The members appointed were:

M.R. Cooley, Jr. Town Member
J.J.Larsen Board Sec & Treas.
Jesse B. Barker Town Member
Royden Benson Board Member to Town
Alphonzo Christensen Board Member

JANUARY 19, 1938, Irrigation Board Meeting held to discuss town
applications of Trenton Town for water belonging to Newton and Clarkston
Irrigation Companies. The President and Secretary were instructed to
enter protest with the State Engineer against the granting of these
applications.

Trenton had, up to this time,. Never had a culinary water system. The
waters to the West of Trenton and included in the Clarkston-Newton
drainage basin were best suited for Trenton’s need for culinary water.
Before and after the above mentioned date, considers time, effort, and
expense, was used up in coming to agreeable settlements, protecting
water rights, etc. In the end Trenton secured her water system. But it
crystallized the thought, in Newton especially, that she must safe-guard
her water interests for the future.

OCTOBER 29, 1938, New Reservoir Committee meeting held in school
house. Mr. Quate and Mr. Maughan of the Soil Conservation, and Mr. Welch
of the Rehabilitation Office, were present to talk over the problem of
building a small reservoir for Newton. They were only able to offer
$50,000.00 as a loan, at 3% interest payable in 20 yrs. This was
considered too small for the needs of the Newton project.

JULY 30, 1940, Stockholders meeting to discuss the building of a
New Reservoir and what to do with the stock in the old reservoir. Main
Points of discussion were:

1. If Newton does not act now some other community, possibly Richmond
would be placed ahead of Newton.

2. What should be done with Old Water Stock. Mr. J.J. Larsen moved we
sell our 10,000 shares for $20,000. Some stockholders expressed refusal
to sell, others felt $2.00 per share was too small. Motion was not
seconded and was declared dead.

3. Jesse B. Barker moved that we vote to see if we wanted to go ahead
with New Reservoir. Motion was not Seconded, became dead.

4. M.R.Cooley Jr. moved we set a meeting for August 5th, 1940 to see
if old stockholders would sell their stock in favor of a New Reservoir.
Motion Seconded and carried by Unamimous Vote.

August 5, 1940, Stockholders Meeting. 200 were in attendance. M.R.
Cooley, Jr. moved that we agree to sell or transfer over stock in the
old reservoir in favor of the New Reservoir, either in stock or money or
what ever was necessary to go ahead with the New Reservoir. This motion
was seconded by A.L. Dowdle. We voted by stock held. Results of voting:

1946 shares "NO"

6421 shares "YES"

Total of 8367 shares voted out of 10,000 shares held in the old
reservoir.

SEPTEMBER 15, 1940, Board of Directors met and voted to send M.R.
Cooley, Jr and D.R. Clarke to a special water meeting called by the
Bureau of Reclamation at Great Falls, Montana.

At this reclamation congress, Mr. Cooley and Mr. Clarke met with
commissioners Page and discussed with him our problem of a New Reservoir
as a reclamation project.

OCTOBER 13, 1940, Motion that old stock be sold for $5.00 per
share payable over a period of 40 years, was seconded and passed. No
interest was to be charged over this period.

OCTOBER 17, 1940, Stockholders meeting. Word had been received
that the President of the United States had signed the bill accepting
the Newton Reservoir as the first project under the case - Wheeler Act.

On January 14, 1940, the corporate life of the Newton Irrigation
Company lapsed, but the organization continued to function in the usual
manner until May 1941, when the Newton Water Users’ Association was
incorporated under articles which met the requirements of the United
States for entering into a contract for the proposed Newton Project.
Upon incorporation, the Newton Water Users’ Association took over the
functions of the earlier organization.

The Newton Water Users’ Association was incorporated in May 1941
under the laws of the State of Utah, under articles providing for a
corporate life of one hundred years and the issuance of 6,000 shares of
stock. The association succeeded the Newton Irrigation Company, and by a
quitclaim deed was legally granted all water rights and property
formerly owned by the Newton Irrigation Company.

Thus ended a period of irrigation development extending over a period
of 71 years. During this time the daily relationship of men with men in
solving practical problems has in laying and forming a back ground upon
which the present and future generations should advance to better living
and understanding.

Logan - Work will begin within 10 day on a
$700,000 rock and earth-fill dam near Newton in Cache Valley, I. Donald Jerman engineer in charge of construction, announced Saturday following signing by officials of Newton Water Users’ association of a $350,000 payment contract with the bureau of reclamation.

The project is slated for completion in 1943.

Signing the contract were M.R. Cooley Jr., president, and J.J.
Larsen, secretary, for the water users’ association, in the presence of
J. Stewart McMasters of Sale Lake City, assistant district counsel of
the bureau of reclamation; L.R. Douglas of the Denver office of the
bureau of reclamation; Melvin C. Harris, Logan attorney, and Mr. Jerman.

Ratification of the board’s action by water users is expected at a
meeting to be held August 29 at Newton L D S chapel.

Asks W P A Labor

Simultaneously, Mr. Jerman Saturday announced dispatch of a request
in behalf of the bureau of reclamation to Darrel J. Greenwell. W P A
administrator in charge of the Sale Lake office, seeking W P A labor for
the project. Between 125 and 135 men will be employed.

Repayment of 350,000, amount of the project reimbursable to the
federal government, will be spread over a period of 40 years by
assessments on water stock subscribed to by users.

Under the contract, users of water on farm land in the Newton area
and possibly some in the Clarkston area, will subscribe to approximately
three acre feet of water per season for each acre of land. Owners of
city lots will subscribe in four acre per season Mr. Larsen said.

Offers Natural Basin

The side lies approximately two miles north of Newton in western Cache
valley in Clarkston creek hallow which will serve as a natural basin for
the reservoir. The dam will impound water for irrigation of 225 city
lots in Newton, 1435 acres now under irrigation by neans of ditches from
the old Newton irrigation district reservoir and through extensions
which will be made possible by the new dam - a total of 2225 acres.

Under present arrangements for use of water from Clarkston creek,
Newton district irrigators have access to the stream flow five day and
Clarkston 15 days of each 20 day period during the irrigation season.

By impounding winter and spring runoff water in the new dam for
summer use, the Newton users’ may sell their entire share of the summer
stream flow to the upstream users. Mr. Larsen explained.

Estimated cost of the project includes $350,000 in the repayment
contract, which will provide machinery and materials, and about $350,000
in labor, furnished by the W P. A as a make-work project, he said. Under
terms of the Case-Wheeler act, civil service and bureau of reclamation
officials will have direct supervision.

Location of the dam at the site elected, known as the Cooley site,
will result in an appreciable saving of water ordinarily lost by
seepage. Topographical conditions enable storage of the desired 5200
acre feet of water with a minimum of water surface exposed to reservoir
banks and atmosphere, it was indicated.

Get Approval

Presidential approval of the Newton project on October 17, 1940, made
it the first to be authorized under terms of the Cass-Wheeler act, as
approved by congress August 11, 1939, and amended October 14, 1940. It
will replace the present Newton irrigation district reservoir, which was
constructed 60 years ago and which is said to be the first artificial
reservoir in the United States to have been constructed for storage or
irrigation water.

Stripping of foundations and --------------- of the dam and building
of a laboratory and shop building will be first work done on the
project. Construction of a concrete outlet conduit should begin during
the fall or possibly during winter months Mr. Jerman said.

(Salt Lake Tribune September 3, 1941

Ceremony Today Marks
State of $700,000 Dam

New Reclamation Project Takes
Place of Works Constructed
in ‘71; Gov. Maw, Others to Speak

Tribune Intermountain Wire

Logan --- Clarkston Creek Hollow, in which America’s
first irrigation dam was located in 1871, will be the scene of another major event in reclamation history Wednesday afternoon, when construction work on the $700,000 Newton dam, first reclamation project to be approved under terms of the Case-Wheeler act, will be started.

Speakers who have accepted invitations to offer brief remarks in
ceremonies at the dam site Wednesday at 2 p.m. are Governor Herbert B
Maw, Darrell J. Greenwell, state administrator of W.P.A, which will
provide labor for the project; E.G. Nielsen engineer of the federal
bureau of reclamation; T.M. Humpherys, state director of the public work
reserve and former state engineer, and O.J. Wheatley, economist with the
Denver office of farm security administration.

Granger May Attend.

Congressman Walter K. Granger has indicated that he will be present
unless he should be called out of the state on urgent business.
Communications also have been received from other members of the Utah
congressional delegation. Saul E. Hyer of Lewiston, chairman of Cache
county planning committee, will pronounce the dedicatory prayer. Musical
selections will be by North Cache high school ban.

Ceremonies are planned by the irrigation committee of Logan chamber
of commerce, headed by Frederick P. Champ, and a committee of Newton
leaders, headed by M.R. Cooley Jr., president of Newton Water Users’
association.

After conferring with Mr. Cooley, Mr. Champ indicated Tuesday that
all arrangements for Ground breaking ceremonies are complete, including
facilities and equipment at the site and parking and traffic
arrangements.

Head Water Group

Officers of Newton Water Users’ association, which is cooperating
with the government in construction of the reservoir, are Mr. Cooley,
president; N.Royden

Benson, vice president; J.J. Larsen, secretary; Stanley Griffin,
treasurer; Alphonzo Christensen and Thomas E. Griffin, directors and E.R.
Clark, director and president of the old Newton Irrigation company,
which is merging into the project. These men Mayor R.C. Jones, Roland
Griffin, Walter Cooley and J.B. Barker, formed the original committee
which investigated and initiated the project.

The new reservoir will supplement the histories Newton irrigation
district reservoir, which is still in use after 60 years. It will
impound 5200 acre feet of water for irrigation of 225 Newton city lots,
1435 acres now being irrigated with water from the old reservoir, and
565 acres which will be placed under irrigation through extensions from
the new reservoir.

(Thursday morning September 4, 1941)

Formal Ceremonies Launch
Newton Dam Construction

Governor and State Leaders
In Both Reclamation and
Agriculture Attend Despite Rain

Tribune Intermountain Wire

Newton - Cache County -
Construction work on Newton dam, first of the small reclamation projects to be made possible by the Case-Wheeler act, was initiated Wednesday afternoon with ceremonies as scheduled despite a steady downpour of rain.

Governor Herbert B. Maw and a host of reclamation and agricultural
leaders of Utah braved the chilling rain to witness the formal opening
of construction and participated in brief ceremonies.

"It is fitting that this project should be carried out by the
descendants of those pioneers who introduced reclamation to the western
United States," Governor Maw declared.

It was pointed our that the old Newton irrigation district dam, also
in Clarkston Creek hollow, was started more than 60 years ago as the
first irrigation dam in the United States. The old dam is still standing
and its use will be supplemented by the new $700,000 project.

Will Seek More Projects

Ora Bundy, vice president of the National Reclamation association and
member of the governor’s new commission for publicity and industrial
development, declared "in this work the National Reclamation association
has taken the lead, particularly in bringing about the Case-Wheeler
act."

He assured the scores of spectators that efforts of the new
commission will be devoted, in part, to bringing more such projects to
Utah.

Saul E. Hyer, chairman of Cache county planning committee, pronounced
the dedicatory prayer and dedicated the work which has been and which
will be done "to the divine purpose of promoting life."

History Recalled

M.R. Cooley Jr., president of Newton Water Users’ association, which
was organized to negotiate with federal agencies in building the dam,
asserted that the pioneers of Newton built the first dam. in 1870, and
for the past 60 years they have continually worked and planned for new
reservoirs and new reclamation projects to bring farm land under
cultivation.

T.H. Humpherys, former state engineer and director of federal public
works reserve in Utah, who conducted the first surveys for the Newton
Project more than 20 years ago, said "Since the drouth of 1934, the
greatest we have known in our time, we have attempted a study to prevent
its repetition. We now have 20 such projects which can be built and
there is money through which to do it." The Newton project was approved
through persistent effort, he declared.

William Peterson, vice chairman of the former Utah water storage
commission declared, "we started this irrigation business in Utah when
we started settlement, but we haven’t been making much progress in the
90 years since. The greatest wealth and stability of our state lies in
the wealth of our soil and water rights."

William R. Wallace, chairmen of the former water storage commission,
said he regarded such projects as means of making people "live and enjoy
life in their homes in the mountains."

E. G. Nielsen of Sale Lake City bureau of reclamation engineer,
described physical features of the projected dam and reservoir, assuring
his listeners that it will give them three times their present water
supply.

Darrell J. Greenwell, Utah administrator of the W P A, which will
provide labor for the project, said "since the W P A was organized, it
has hoped to build a number of reservoirs in this area, but until the
Case-Wheeler act came along, there was no sound method of financing
them.

"Everyone in a community benefits from such a project. It is target
that, in spite of the defense boom, more than 7000 Utahans who are able
to work and do a good job are still unable to find work. Men who will
construct this project will be over 40 years of age, ‘there is a cruel
rule which forbids the firing of men over 40 in most industries."

Dr. O.J. Wheatley, economist with the Denver office of farm security
administration and former extension economist for Utah State
Agricultural college, reviewed the part played by the F S A in such
projects.

Frederick P. Champ, chairman of the irrigation committee of ----gan
[?Logan?]
chamber of commerce, and master of ceremonies.

(The Sale Lake Tribune, Sunday Morning, April 29, 1945)

WPB Okehs
Canals for
Utah Project

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Granger has been
informed the war production board approved construction of high line
canals on the Newton Irrigation project in Utah at a cost of $30,000.

The reclamation bureau says plans are complete and they are ready to
proceed as soon as the president has given his approval.

This is one of the projects long held up by the W P B.

Newton Water Users Express Gratitude

Tribune Intermountain Wire --

Newton, Cache County - Officials of the Newton
Water Users’ assn. Expressed extreme gratitude Saturday that the was
production board had approved construction of canals in connection with
the Newton dam.

Marcus R Cooley, president of the board, pointed out that due to
interruptions of the construction program by wartime conditions, the
subscribers may "have been left with the dam full of water and no way of
distributing it."

He said that it would have been practically impossible for the
association to raise funds for construction of the canals.

"Although work probably will get under way at once on the town new
canals, it is doubtful that they will be ready for use this year," He
said, "A large quantity of water will be distributed through the old
system, however."

Included in the project are construction of two new canals and
renovation of another. It will involve about 10 to 12 miles of
distribution system and will bring 2500 acres of land under a full water
right for irrigation, he said.

Mr. Cooley praised the help of F.P. Champ, director of the U.S.
chamber of Coerce, the newly formed Cache County Associated Civic Clubs
unit, and the Logan chamber of commerce in securing release of the
project.

A postwar reclamation progress containing Utah projects totaling
$181,472,000 was reported to the house irrigation and reclamation
committee Thursday by Secy. Of Interior Harold L. Jokes, it was
announced in an Associated Press report from Washington, D.C.

Two of the project listed - the Provo river and Scofield reservoir -
are under construction. The other are in the proposed category and the
reclamation bureau is making a study to determine their order of
feasibility.

Santa Clara - $1,700,000 for earth dam on Santa Clara creek to
provide supplemental storage for lands around St. George.

Hurricane - $9,700,000 for concrete dam on Virgin river, tunnels,
canals and power plant. Project would furnish supplemental water to
lands around Hurricane, Washington and St. George and water to new lands
on the south side of the Virgin river valley.

Emery county - $2,500,000 for dam on Cotonwood creek in Joe’s valley
above Orangeville. To furnish supplemental water to lands around
Orangeville, Castle Dale and Huntington.

Jensen - $300,000 for a small dam on Brush creek at the Tyzak site to
furnish supplemental water to lands around Jensen.

Vernal - $1,500,000 for storage dam on Stanakar draw and canals.

Moon Lake extension - $9,500,000 for new dams at Pelican lake,
Halfway Hollow, Upaloo and Stillwater and other items.

Strawberry extension - $4,990,000 for earth dam and power plant on
Diamond fork. Power to be used for exchange purposes in development of
Bear river.

Uintah-Echo park unit - $46,000,000 for power and Colorado river
control project on Green river.

Manilla - $1,462,000 to furnish supplemental water to lands near
Lyman, Wyo.

South Cache - $2,200.,000 for dams at Porcupine site in East Fork and
Hardware ranch on Blacksmith fork.

Cutler - $5,000,000 for raising Cutler dam to make possible up-stream
development on Bear river.

Located three and one-half miles North of this marker the first Storage reservoir in Utah was begun in 1871 and completed in Enlarged form, in 1886, after going out three times. Length of Dam, 127ft., height 28 feet, made of earth and rocks. Cost $10,000. Reservoir length 1 ½ miles, Capacity 1566 acre feet,
original building committee, Bishop William F. Rigby, Franklin W. Young, Stephen Catt, Seven Jacobs, and John Jenkins. First caretakers and water masters, John Griffin, A.P. Welshman and Jonas M. Beck. William F. Rigby Comp. And John Jenkins Comp.

Today, 1947, a large percentage of the population of Newton are the
descendants of the early builders of Newton. Many have had to leave and
make their livelihood and homes elsewhere, because the agriculture
opportunities were limited. But the homes and farmsteads of Newton are
not passing into the hands of strangers. Neither is there a great amount
of breaking up of farms into smaller ones or concentration in large
farms.

There has been little inter-marriage of families as might be expected
in a small community, and --- as permanent in its nature as Newton is.
Partners in marriage hail from Canada on the North to Mexico on the
South and from California to Massachusetts, West and East.

I do not know just what affect the early day need for cooperation in
building a reserve etc. has had upon the People of Newton. But it seems
to me that they have learned the value of cooperative effort.

At any rate there are a number of cooperate enterprises to which most
of the farmers of Newton belong and hold memberships in.

1. The Utah poultry Producers Cooperative Association, to which most
of the poultry products of Newton are sold.

2. The Cache Valley Dairy Association, in which almost 100% of the
dairy farmers have memberships

3. The West Cache Grain Growers, a cooperative formed by a group of
grain growers in Newton and Clarkston. We own an elevator at Cache
Junction with 85,000 bushel storage capacity. Dividends have been
declared regularly on the earnings.

4. Pea and beet growers are, without exception, members of the
growers association. Purpose of which is to secure better contracts,
grading of products etc.

5. The South Field Pumping Company. Owns and maintains pumping
facilities, canals etc., for pumping of water from the West Cache Canal
to fields located South of Newton boundary line and extending South to
the West Cache Canal. Many of our farmers also own stock in the West
Cache Irrigation Company.

6. The Newton Water Users’ Association, about which I have written
this paper.

7. Beside these there are a number of instances where groups of
farmers have bought machinery cooperatively, and use it in like manner.

We feel that it is more economical for each man and certainly it
lightens the load at harvest time where "many hands make light work."